One giant leap for Whittle

"We need to stay tight in the box and make sure we stay with our runners,

Alex Whittle will be only one off his 50th appearance for Dunfermline if he starts at Airdrie on Saturday and is mindful that losing early goals to opponents is not the best way to begin games:-:

"We always seem to concede an early goal so we need to get a good start and build from there. We have had a few bad results against Forfar and East Fife, but I think we should have more than enough to beat Airdrie.

"I always think the first goal is the most important but we have a great team spirit amongst the boys and everytime we go a goal down we seem to get a lift from that. It would be nice to get a clean sheet, so hopefully we can do that on Saturday."

To get a clean sheet everyone has to work well and the 20 year old left back fully accepts a lot of emphasis is on the back four:-

"But the midfield have to do a job as well. The midfield have to track runners and work hard as a team as well.  If everyone talks that can help the back four out as well.

"Airdrie have a few big men up front, such as Hardie, Lister and Coult so they are going to play the long ball so the midfield are going to have to get the second ball.  We can't give away silly corners and free kicks."

Defending corners have let down the Pars when they have proven to be not as resilient as everybody would like.  Alex :-

"Callum Morris is the beast in the air, but we need to stay tight in the box and make sure we stay with our runners, because sometimes a man gets away from us and scores."

Alex feels that up until this point in the stage he has had a decent season and scored a couple of goals:-

"I would just like to keep doing what I am doing basically but I think there is a lot more to come from me.I think I have improved a lot defensively but I also like to get forward too. I think up to now I have probably scored the goal of the season, Josh's would be second and possibly Geggs third, but I also thought Ryan Wallace's left foot against Ayr was quite good as well."

So you will he be hoping to score another cracker on Saturday?

"I've got a target of how many goals I would like to score this season."

Team spirit is such that the squad barely leave each other alone and during the interview captain Josh Falkingham sat in to pose the odd awkward question!  Josh asked Alex what he thought he could improve on in his game?

"Just the basics really, heading and throw ins but I think my throw ins have improved lately and Callum Morris has helped me a lot with my heading.  I think I am getting a good leap, but need to improve on the timing and because I am new to the left back position, just working on my positional sense."

Alex then got Josh back when given the opportunity to reveal who had the biggest mouth on the park?

"Probably Josh to be fair, but only when things are going well!"